


Tentative beginnings

by eucleia



Series: Newtina drabbles [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eucleia/pseuds/eucleia
Summary: Newt watches Tina feed the marmite, and feels a weird kind of feeling deep in the pit of his stomach.
Relationships: Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander
Series: Newtina drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2076660
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	Tentative beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Newtina, meet marmite; marmite, meet Newtina.

Newt watches Tina feed the marmite, and feels a weird kind of feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. She’s cradling it gently, so gently, and Newt can already tell Marty likes her. His tendrils wrap delicately around Tina’s neck as she almost croons at it, like Marty is any other baby she might pick up to feed. Newt chooses not to mention how old Marty is, not now that Tina looks utterly at peace with the creature in her arms. Hiss pale blue light reflects off of her face, deepening parts of it and setting other parts aglow, and Newt can’t look away.

The light is doing funny things to her face, Newt thinks. He has already finished feeding the mooncalves, the chore he had grudgingly taken on when Tina had asked and asked to feed Marty. He’s dangerous, Newt had warned her, carefully handing over the marmite as he spoke in low, even tones. Keep an eye on his tendrils, and don’t make any sudden movements.

The warning did not matter. Marty is content, and Tina is delighted. Newt can see the glow digging her smile deeper into her cheeks, reflecting off of the planes of her face and making her eyes look darker, more mysterious. Newt wants to see them now, closer, by the glow of the marmite; he wants to learn what thoughts they’re hiding.

“It looks like a star,” Tina says quietly. She lifts her eyes, and Newt only notices the movement because her gaze reflects the light, shifting to follow Marty’s tentacles floating through the air around her.

“He does,” Newt agrees, his tone matching the softness in hers, and the feeling in his stomach is stronger now, like apparating without a destination, or riding a Hippogriff that loves to dive. Newt forces himself to blink, and then takes a step forward before pausing, unsure.

“Thank you for trusting me with feeding it,” Tina says. She glances at him, has enough time to flash a smile at him before the feathery end of one of Marty’s tentacles glides against her cheek, begging for attention. Newt thinks he should’ve smiled back.

“He’s a bit of a handful,” Newt says, almost apologetically, bounding closer to her, but when he reaches his hands out towards Marty, the marmite recoils closer to Tina, nuzzling against her chest. Newt blinks, surprised, and Tina laughs, her eyes crinkling. Newt has to remind himself not to stare as she speaks.

“The bottle’s nearly done. I’ve got it.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Tina.”

This is not what he is planning on saying, and the surprise on Tina’s face mirrors the surprise he feels inside. For a moment, she forgets the beast in her arms and stares at him, slightly open-mouthed. Newt hurries on, trying to finish his half-errant thought without making it worse. His ears already feel warmer than they had a moment ago.

“It helps to have another set of hands, sometimes,” he says. “To help with the feeding.”

Tina’s mouth closes and she nods, business-like; her smile is gone. The movement shakes a lock of her hair free from behind her ear and into her face, however, and Newt finds that he is braver than he thought. He reaches out, and, as Tina watches, carefully pushes the loose hair back into place.

“There,” he says. He’s sure he’s forgotten how to breathe, or blink, or do any of the normal human things that used to come so naturally before. He isn’t sure because Marty’s glow tinges everything a different colour, but he thinks he sees Tina’s cheeks darken, just a little.

“For the record,” he adds, “There is no one else I’d rather have here or trust more with my creatures than you.” When Tina smiles at him, Newt is sure that the glow on her face isn’t all marmite. This time, he remembers to smile back.


End file.
